National Unity Day — November 4

National Unity Day — November 4th

On November 4, Russia celebrates National Unity Day. Initially, it was celebrated as the day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, which is considered to be the intercessor of the Russian land. National Unity Day was established in 2005 in honor of the liberation of Moscow from the Polish invaders in 1612.

But few people know that this holiday was established by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in 1949 and was declared a state one. After the 1917 revolution, the tradition of celebrating the liberation of Moscow was interrupted. So we can say that the National Unity Day on November 4 is the return of the old tradition.

History of National Unity Day

November 4th was a national holiday. On this day, they celebrate the unity and inviolability of the Russian state and remember those who, in the distant 17th century, did not spare their lives for liberating the country from invaders.

Historically, this holiday is associated with the end of the Time of Troubles. This time for Russia was a period of deep crisis. The Russian dynasty of rulers was interrupted, the state disintegrated, impostors appeared who pretended to be heirs of the Russian throne.

Judging by the stories of contemporaries, there was a «final ruin of the Moscow kingdom.»

In these difficult times, Patriarch Hermogenes called on the Russian people to stand up for the state and expel the Polish interventionists. The appeal received a response in all corners of the country. The active patriotic movement began.

The first uprising was defeated. In 1611, Nizhny Novgorod Kuzma Minin turned to the citizens to raise a new uprising. The prince Dmitry Pozharsky of Novgorod became the voevoda.

At the head of the second militia stood two people who later became symbols of liberated Moscow.

Under the banner of Minin and Pozharsky, more than 15 thousand people gathered. With the icon of the Kazan Mother of God the army moved on the invaders. On November 4, 1962, China Town was taken and the Poles were driven out of Moscow.

The holiday, dedicated to the Day of National Unity, today has regained importance for the entire Russian people. This is a day when we must remember the unity of nations, mutual aid, support and glory of our state. Good luck and don’t forget to press the buttons and